Here’s How Long It Takes to Thaw a Frozen Turkey (Spoiler: You Should Start Now)

On November 23, 2024By Littum

Thawing a turkey prior to Thanksgiving is one of the first steps in achieving your party, but it’s also the longest step – far longer than cooking it. To get that bird from frozen to thawed without risking foodborne illness, you have to do it the right way. It can take several days (up to a week) for such a large piece of meat.

There are one or two surefire shortcuts to thawing a turkey, they will increase the likelihood of rubbery meat. Our suggestion is to thaw your bird slowly in the fridge over a few days. Whatever you do, don’t even think about spending microwave oven.

Here are the best ways to safely thaw your turkey ahead of your holiday this year. If you’re serving something other than turkey, such as breast, leg of lamb, pork shoulder, or duck, and need to thaw your entree, the same techniques work best for just about any cut of meat.

This story is part of 12 days of tipsthat help you get the most out of your technology, your home and your health this holiday season.

Can you thaw a turkey or roast at room temperature?

turkey on tray with butter and spices — It is unsafe to thaw such a large piece of meat at room temperature.

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From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated.

No. It is not safe, nor is it recommended to thaw a turkey, rib roast, or other large piece of meat at room temperature. The key to safe thawing is not to allow any part of the meat to rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time, or food-borne bacteria will begin to grow and multiply. You might be able to get away with room temperature thawing of smaller cuts of meat such as steaks and pork loin, but larger meats take so long to thaw that you can’t safely thaw them this way.

From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated.

The best way to thaw holiday meat: Use your refrigerator

A well-stocked fridge with open doors — The refrigerator is the safest place to thaw a turkey for Thanksgiving.

Getty/Andrey Popov

This method is the most time-consuming option, but will provide the best results: USDA suggests 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, meaning you need to set aside a few days or up to a week for a large bird. This method requires the least effort. All you have to do is put your turkey in a container to catch the drips and let it hang out (covered) in the fridge.

To make sure your turkey (and any other meat you serve) is safe to eat, get a meat thermometer. It’s an affordable investment in both helping you figure out when your food is ready and keeping your guests safe.

Details

How long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey?

Here’s a snapshot of how long it might take you to thaw a frozen turkey of varying weights. See? It’s definitely wise to have a plan and set an alarm for the day your turkey needs to come out of the freezer.

4 to 8 pounds: 24 hours
8 to 12 pounds: 36 hours
12 to 16 pounds: 4 days
16 to 20 pounds: 5 days
20 to 24 pounds: 6 days

raw turkey on a grill — This turkey was thawed with cold water.

Chris Monroe/CNET

The fastest (safest) way to thaw a large piece of meat: Use cold water

This method of thawing a turkey is faster than in the refrigerator, but it requires a few more steps. First, place the turkey in a leak-proof bag and place it in a cold tap water bath in the sink or a large container (such as a cooler or clean recycling bin). The USDA recommends that you change the water every 30 minutes. I’ve found that it’s easiest to defrost your turkey in a cooler that has a spigot: This lets you easily drain the water to make room for fresh water—or drain it completely once the bird is thawed. It will take about 30 minutes per pounds to thaw your turkey completely this way.

turkey lying on a rack — It takes a bit of work to go from frozen turkey to a tasty entree.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Can you thaw meat in the microwave?

The USDA says you can thaw a turkey in the microwave as long as you follow the product directions and cook it immediately after thawing. While you can fit the large breast or bird inside, I would be extremely cautious about trusting a microwave to thaw such a large piece of meat. I would suggest avoiding the microwave at all costs. Even whole chickens are difficult to thaw well in a microwave, and they are typically half the size of a turkey.

If anything, use the defrost setting for just a few minutes to get started, then use a combination of the cold water bath and refrigerator above to thaw your turkey. Don’t use the full time your microwave suggests to thaw this amount of frozen meat, especially all at once. It won’t be pretty, I promise you.

For more turkey day tips, see 6 ways people screw up turkey about Thanksgiving and how to make crispy filling in the air fryer.